Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura

I cannot believe I missed this gem growing up! Think classic fallout meets steampunk meets oblivion (if it were in classic fallout style), and you get gun-toting knights, or a Doc Holiday type, or a classic Mage character, or even a Gnomish merchant if you want. I absolutely love the character creation and the leveling up. It is the type of game where I can keep starting new characters, spend hours and hours on each and still not even finish 1% of the main story, there is just that much to do. I recommend this to any RPG fan. There is simply not enough space given for these reviews for me to list all the things I enjoy about this truly underrated and amazing game. I really wonder what Fallout 3 would've been like if these guys won the rights over Bethesda, and Bethesda has released some of my all time favorites, which this game Arcanum, is now one of.

This game has been produced by the same team as the first Fallout games, and it shows in many ways, good and bad. If you enjoyed these games, there is a good chance you will enjoy this one too, if you manage to pass the first ten levels. The steampunk universe of Arcanum is based on the opposition between magic and technology – each interfering with the working of the other. You can learn spells, and/or you can learn how to make technological items like weapons, guns, pharmaceuticals, traps and other electrical wonders, but the more you learn in one way, the less effective you will be the other way. The NPCs themselves will react to you according to past deeds, your magic/tech bias, and also to your race: that’s right, a good number of NPCs are complete bigoted racists, and you can play along if you don’t mind getting in fights with everybody (and getting evil in the process). Some of the social interactions are actually quite unsettling (like the Orcs and Ogres races being literally enslaved by humans and gnomes), hitting too close to home. But it’s OK: I don’t mind a game addressing real-life social topics, pushing me outside of my comfort zone. In short, there is a well-done steampunk background, quests for all tastes and plenty of NPCs to talk to, with an emphasis on realistic interactions. There seem to be a plethora of options for your character, from character build to ethical choices. All of these were why I bought this game. However, the game is quite difficult (even on Easy mode), the interface does its job but needs some time to get used to. Most importantly, the character level-up system is very, very frustrating, especially during the first levels, because you only get one point per level and you need it everywhere, and there is a level-up cap of 50, so it’s not as if you have a limitless supply – you have to plan well in advance. By level 15, your start getting more comfortable, but then you realized you will have to specialize in a single tech line, or in one or two spell schools, if you want to unlock one of the highest tech or spells. Or give up on both magic and tech altogether because you need these points in your basic skills. Frankly, if it was not for all the other positive reviews and the fact I paid for this game, I would have given up on it.

An old classic worth buying again.

Probably the RPG that holds the dearest place in my heart, this game hit every button for me from the first time I opened it. Like Fallout, or Planescape torment - I left my experience with Arcanum wowed. The open world, the details in each city, the freedom which can be found in games like the elder scrolls was wonderfully put together in Arcanum... pickpocketing keys and plundering store owners... Plus the ambiance, characters, story.. These days, there is a little clunkiness to it but the game is still perfectly playable, the story is great, and the open world aspects of the game were done perfectly. On the bright side, the very long load times are no longer present on modern machines Wish someone would pick up a sequal to this baby. The world they created in Arcanum deserves to be revisited.

Although the playstyle is similar to Fallout 1&2, with the isometric view looking very familiar; however, I had to force myself to play the original Fallout series, where as I loved this game from the get-go. As other people have noted, initially this game can be rather unfair towards specific races or builds, specifically low INT builds. My freind and I were playing through this game simultaneously and he missed a very important quest item at a place that doesn't allow you to return and as such had to start over. Arcanum is a game that doesn't wrap you in cotton wool; it exposes you to the harsh realities of its universe quite spectacularly.